And Then There Was You (Chris Evans AU)

One Shot

 You can also see more of Chris and Daphne in my ABC's of... One Shots book of completed story characters. But, on the off chance you don't follow that one, I'll give it to you here, too. :)

The sun was a mere fifteen minutes from setting completely as Chris finished cutting the front lawn. With as many acres as he and Daphne had built on, he'd invested in a riding lawn mower but it still took longer than he liked. He'd end up cutting the back one evening after work and then the front on another, assuming he wasn't working night shifts.

It was the end of July and hot as hades in North Florida, easily reaching temps of one hundred without factoring in humidity. You average that in and you're looking at over hundred degree temps daily. Which is why the evening was always the ideal time to cut the grass.

He could go into great detail of the amount of calls they'd seen due to heatstroke throughout the summer months, many of them needing more than what he could do for them and earned themselves a ride in the ambulance. It's one of the reasons why Chris insisted that either Juniper play outside early in the morning, or late evening with only a midday fifteen or twenty minute play in the plastic kiddie pool, and even then, he'd popped a makeshift tent covering up in the backyard for extra protection.

As he rode the mower back towards the garage something caught his eye, making him look off to the side towards the woods next to the house, down by the creek. Immediately he knew he needed to grab his little girl to experience it with him.

"Daphne!" he called out as he opened the door into the kitchen. The cool air condition blasted him in the face, giving him a moment of reprieve from the scorching heat. "Daph!"

"About to put Juniper in the tub!" she yells back from their little girl's bedroom.

"Hold off on that," he says loudly, careful to not take any unnecessary steps further into the house seeing his work boots covered in pieces of grass.

Daphne comes around the corner, Juniper walking behind her in only a pull up, dragging her fuzzy Nunny along with her.

It was going to break both of their hearts the day she could actually say the word bunny or rabbit, so for now, they don't correct her on the stuffed animal's correct pronunciation.

His wife looks at him strangely as he heads back out the door and into the garage. "Come on," he beckons them to follow him.

"Chris, she's not dressed," Daphne laughs out.

"She's in the country, sweetheart. She's got covered what needs to be. Come on, we're gonna miss it."

"Miss what?" she asks, scooping up the little girl to follow her excited husband. "Come on, Dodge!"

Juniper squeals out a loud, demanding, "DADDY!" when he gets too far ahead of them. He stops walking, turning and waving her forward. Daphne sets her down in the freshly cut grass and watches as their two year old goes racing towards her daddy's arms.

"Juni girl. I can't wait for you to see this," he tells her as he puts her on top of his shoulders. With a father that stands six foot tall, the little girl feels on top of the world, like the princess that he refers to her as.

The stuffed rabbit hangs over his shoulder as well, Juniper holding it tight by its floppy ear. "Want down," the little one asks, getting antsy like the active toddler she is, always wanting to be running circles around with Dodger.

"We gotta get to the creek, then you can get down."

The closer they get to the tree line, Daphne starts seeing the little flashes of light, a giggle crossing her lips. Chris looks over at his wife, mesmerized by the way the little things bring her such joy. This isn't really something he'd experience in Miami, but out here in what people call 'The Sticks' it's a normal summer night occurrence.

Juniper hears her mother's laughter, grabbing her attention. "What, mommy?" the little girl asks.

Chris lifts her back over his head, the stuffed rabbit slipping from her hand. "Nunny!" she whimpers. Dodger skillfully scoops up the toy and hands it over to his sister who expels her own giggles as she touches the slobbery fur. "Yucky!"

Daphne and Chris each grab one of Juniper's hands, leading her out onto the edge of the creek, carefully stepping on the rocks they'd deemed safe over the years they've lived out here. Chris slides down easily, perching on the edge of one before bring Juniper into his lap. "Watch," he instructs his daughter.

Juniper holds her hands up, head looking around, "Whewe?"

Daphne chuckles, pointing out ahead of her to the tree line across the way. "Out there. Just watch."

The attention span of a two year old is near nonexistent, which is why as soon as either adult spots a light they point it out. "Was dat?" the tiny voice asks.

"They're called fireflies," Chris tells her, pointing out another. The little girl's eyes grow big as she looks back at her dad. "Fiwe?" she asks, terrified.

"Not that kind of fire, Juni," Daphne assures her. "They light up. You could call them lightning bugs if you'd rather."

The inquisitive child looks back over the creek, watching closely, trying to catch them in her line of sight. "Theiw butt light up," she says with certainty. "Light butts!" she giggles out, her hands clapping together. "Baff!" she squeals again, pointing down at the cold water running through the creek.

"I should've brought the soap," her mother laughs along with her. "Sorry sweet girl. No soap." Daphne holds her hands up with an 'oops' expression on her face.

Juniper mirrors her mother's hands and facial expression, "So?"

Chris can't help but laugh watching the exchange. He passes their little girl over to her mother and pulls his boots off, along with his socks and rolls up the legs of his pants. Once his feet are in the water he picks Juniper up once more. "Tell mama, we don't need soap. We'll take a country baby girl bath."

And as the sun sets further in the sky, Daphne watches on as her husband and daughter 'bathe' in the cold creek water, all the while knowing that Juni will always refer to fireflies as 'light butts.'